Photos : Sachin Tendulkar During The First IPL Game Vs CSK

Mumbai Indians Beat CSK With 8 Wickets in Hand In 16.5 Overs. Captain Harbhajan Singh's decision to bowl first seemed to be spot on as Mumbai Indians bowled out defending champions Chennai Super Kings for 112 in the opening match of the fifth edition of Indian Premier League. Complete Picture Gallery of Sachin Tendulkar During Mumbai Indians Vs Chennai Super Kings at Chennai on April Fourth 2012. CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO ENLARGE

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Photos : Sachin Tendulkar at Nets a Day Before the 1st Game vs CSK

Tendulkar, who achieved the unprecedented landmark of scoring 100 international hundreds, during the Asia Cup, will be spearheading MI's bid to clinch the crown for the first time in the cash-rich T20 event, commencing on April 4. MI's campaign opener is scheduled against last year's winners Chennai Super Kings, to be led by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.


Sachin Tendulkar handed over the captaincy of Mumbai Indians to Harbhajan Singh Today.Terming Mumbai Indians franchise as a family, Tendulkar said the decision was taken after due consideration. "The Mumbai Indians is more than a team.  It is like a family to me. At this point of time, I feel I need a break from the responsibility of captaincy of the Mumbai Indians. After due consideration, I discussed my intention to hand over the Captain-ship of the team to Harbhajan Singh," he said.


Complete Picture Gallery of Sachin Tendulkar During Mumbai Indians Training Camp at Chennai on April Third 2012. CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO ENLARGE

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Sachin Tendulkar is the best the game has ever offered: Akram

Former Pakistani bowling great, Wasim Akram, said Sachin Tendulkar's feat of 100 international centuries would remain untouched like that of the legendary Don Bradman's 99-plus batting average."They say records are meant to be broken. But I don't think this record is made to be broken. It will remain forever like that of Don Bradman's average..."

"It's a great achievement. We never ever thought that a cricketer would come this far. Sachin Tendulkar is a genius. He is the best the game has ever offered to the cricket lovers. We all should enjoy the incredible achievement he did in Dhaka," the Knight Riders bowling coach, told reporters on the sidelines of their practice session on Monday.

Akram blamed Indian selectors' decisions for team's pathetic performance post-World Cup. He also ridiculed selectors' decision to drop Yusuf Pathan from the one-day squad after the World Cup triumph."The whole world fears him (Yusuf Pathan). He was back in the Asia Cup but I don't understand how come he was out of the Indian side for over a year," former Pakistan captain said.

"He did not play against Bangladesh and they lost to them in the Asia Cup... Selectors should look into the aspect that which players should be in for which tours. Horses for courses," he insisted.Summing up India's performance in the one-year after winning the World Cup, Akram said, "They were consistent in losing. Team selection was not fair in both the tours (England and Australia).

"The fitness level was not up to the mark. Australia team was physically fitter. They were made to field two days, bowlers could not take wickets..."All the pacers be it Vinay Kumar or Ishant Sharma, they looked very ordinary despite bowling on green tops. The grass was big on every wicket. They have to learn individually. Coach can only say."

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Let Tendulkar play freely: Mumbai Indians' skipper Harbhajan

Captaining Mumbai Indians is not something which is new to Harbhajan Singh and the senior off-spinner wants Sachin Tendulkar to play freely as he is confident handling the responsibility.

"He (Tendulkar) has done so much for us and this is the small thing I can do take the responsibility and take the team forward. Let him be free and play freely. Score as many as runs he wants. I am sure he will score lot of runs for Mumbai Indians," Harbhajan said at the press conference."Sachin means the biggest factor for us. Obviously, he just wanted to take it easy because he has gone through very tough phase of his life in the last six to eight months. He just said he wanted me to take off the pressure from him and he gave this responsibility to me," Harbhajan stated.

He also read out official statement from the franchise," "Sachin spoke to me about his decision of wanting me to take over this responsibility of leading the team. It is a huge honour for me. I would like to thank Paaji and Nita Bhabi for the faith reposed in my ability," he told reporters here taking time of the practice session ahead of Mumbai Indians opening match against Chennai Super Kings on April 4.

Harbhajan said that MI are confident of beating any side in the confident. "We have the team which can beat any team in this competition and I have the belief and the will to take the team  forward and hopefully we will play to our potential and do well.Harbhajan didn't forget to mention that it was because of Tendulkar that lot of cricketers from his era started playing.

"He is the reason for many of us start playing cricket. Always great to have him in the team," he said underlining the importance of his presence.Tendulkar is one person who even if he is not playing has an impact and influence on his teammates' performance. "Last year in the Champions League T20, he was not playing  but his suggestions and inputs were as important as any other 11 walking on the field. He is going to make a big difference when he is there."

On getting back into the Indian team, the Turbantor said "It is the prime thing. I would like to do well in the IPL. I have been playing domestic cricket. Playing for India is way bigger than IPL or the Champions League. As a player, I would love to be there as soon as possible and take the same place where I was and start winning games for Team India."Speaking about their opponents Chennai Super Kings, Harbhajan said it was a strong side especially playing at home. "They have won a lot of games in Chennai. They won the IPL twice, which no other team had done."

But he was optimistic his side would start its campaign on a winning note. "I belileve, if you put your act together and back your ability and have will and faith in our guys they can compete with any team in the competition. Day after will be a very good game. We would like to go out there and start on a winning note."

However, he refused to attach much significance to winning the first game. "Obviously, starting will be very good. But it is not how you start but how you finish matters most.I believe in finishing the race rather than starting," Harbhajan said.On playing in Chennai, he said he had done well at the Chepauk here and loved coming here again and again. "Last year was very special momement for all of us. Playing for Mumbai Indians, we won the first trophy in the absence of key players including Tendulkar," he said.

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Photos : Sachin Tendulkar at Mumbai Indians camp - April 2, 2012 | Chennai

Tendulkar, who achieved the unprecedented landmark of scoring 100 international hundreds, during the Asia Cup, will be spearheading MI's bid to clinch the crown for the first time in the cash-rich T20 event, commencing on April 4. MI's campaign opener is scheduled against last year's winners Chennai Super Kings, to be led by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.


Sachin Tendulkar handed over the captaincy of Mumbai Indians to Harbhajan Singh Today.Terming Mumbai Indians franchise as a family, Tendulkar said the decision was taken after due consideration. "The Mumbai Indians is more than a team.  It is like a family to me. At this point of time, I feel I need a break from the responsibility of captaincy of the Mumbai Indians. After due consideration, I discussed my intention to hand over the Captain-ship of the team to Harbhajan Singh," he said.


Complete Picture Gallery of Sachin Tendulkar During Mumbai Indians Training Camp at Chennai on April Second 2012. CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO ENLARGE

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Sachin Tendulkar hands over Mumbai Indians' captaincy to Harbhajan Singh

Sachin Tendulkar on Monday, handed over the captaincy of Mumbai Indians to Harbhajan Singh.

Terming Mumbai Indians franchise as a family, Tendulkar said the decision was taken after due consideration. "The Mumbai Indians is more than a team.  It is like a family to me. At this point of time, I feel I need a break from the responsibility of captaincy of the Mumbai Indians. After due consideration, I discussed my intention to hand over the Captain-ship of the team to Harbhajan Singh," he said.

Tendulkar said that he had consulted with Nita and Mukesh Ambani, owners of Mumab Indians. "I was touched by the graciousness and wholehearted support they offered me while emphasising that they would accept any decision which helps me to continue enjoying the game."

The decision was a difficult moment for Nita Ambani who however, said that Tendulkar was the best judge on such matters. "It was a very difficult moment when Sachin expressed his desire to relinquish the captaincy.  But we believe that Sachin is the best judge on such matters and hence, as always, we fully support his decision," she said.

Harbhajan will now lead the side in the upcoming edition of Indian Premier League and he said it was an honour for him. "It was a very difficult moment when Sachin expressed his desire to relinquish the captaincy.  But we believe that Sachin is the best judge on such matters and hence, as always, we fully support his decision," he said.

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Sachin was the inspiration behind my World Cup performance: Yuvraj Singh

"You will matter when it matters the most" are the words that Sachin Tendulkar told Yuvraj Singh, which served as an inspiration for the dashing all-rounder during India's World Cup triumph last year.

On the eve of India's first anniversary of the World Cup triumph, Yuvraj, who is recovering from a rare germ cell cancer, has revealed that Tendulkar had a crucial role to play in his man-of-the-series winning performance during last year's mega-event.

Yuvraj recalled that he was not in the best of form and fitness coming into the World Cup, but Tendulkar and speedster Zaheer Khan's pep talks motivated him to do something special in the quadrennial event."Couldn't have asked for anything better. I didn't expect myself to play as well as I did in the World Cup. I was coming with not great form and I wasn't timing the ball how I wanted to," he said in an interview posted on his twitter account about his thoughts on the World Cup anniversary.

"In my tough times, I just spoke to Sachin about my issues with batting and form and fitness and he told me that you will matter when it matters the most. That is a very special thought, it remains with me."I remember I have a picture of me and Tendulkar together which I have put in my locker. I used to have a look at that picture and go into bat. He is my inspiration," Yuvraj said.

"Zaheer Khan also told me in Bangladesh before the World Cup about me doing something special in the World Cup. That time I was going through a bad wrist injury," he added.As India complete the first anniversary of the World Cup triumph, Yuvraj described the feat as a "cherished and special moment".

"All you can remember is flying colours of the flag, Wankhede stadium (the host of the World Cup final) in joy and an Indian dream coming to reality. It was a great moment in history because winning the World Cup was everything to us and especially to do it for Sachin Tendulkar," he recollects in the video."It (World Cup triumph) will always be a very special memory for me and all the Indians. It is a cherished memory which we will always keep in our hearts."

Post World Cup, Yuvraj went through the toughest phase of his life after he was diagnosed with cancer. But he is now recovering from fatal disease after having discharged from the hospital in Indianapolis in the US on March 18 following the completion of the third and final cycle of chemotherapy."It (World Cup) did change everybody's life. I didn't expect that I would land up here after the World Cup but that's life," he said.

"I was at the peak of my career when I was diagnosed with cancer, but now I am treated and absolutely fine. I am thankful to my guruji, my mother. It has been a tough journey but I am lucky that the cancer was detected at an early stage and I got cured. Now I just want to live my life like a normal person, just want to celebrate life," he said.Yuvraj also thanked his fans for standing behind him in such a difficult phase of his life and said he is now raring to return to the ground.

"I can't thank everyone enough for all the prayers and wishes. I have been watching everyone praying across the cities back home for me. The support has been amazing, I couldn't have asked for more. I actually realised how loved I am," he said."I just want to tell all that I am good and will be back to normal health soon. I am looking forward to playing for India again."

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